Oral medicine: geographic tongue: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral medicine: geographic tongue

Sample item

A patient has migrating smooth erythematous depapillated patches on the dorsal tongue with serpiginous white borders. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Geographic tongue

Geographic tongue is benign migratory glossitis with changing depapillated red areas bordered by white serpiginous margins. It may cause mild sensitivity but needs no treatment in most cases.

Option by option

  • A. Oral candidiasis

    Candidiasis causes removable white plaques or erythema.

  • B. Geographic tongue (correct)

    Correct. The changing map-like tongue pattern is characteristic.

  • C. Leukoplakia

    Leukoplakia is a persistent non-scrapable white plaque.

  • D. Hairy leukoplakia

    Hairy leukoplakia is a corrugated lateral-tongue lesion associated with immunosuppression.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Geographic tongue. Geographic tongue is benign migratory glossitis with changing depapillated red areas bordered by white serpiginous margins.

Why is "Oral candidiasis" not the answer?

Candidiasis causes removable white plaques or erythema.

Why is "Leukoplakia" not the answer?

Leukoplakia is a persistent non-scrapable white plaque.

Why is "Hairy leukoplakia" not the answer?

Hairy leukoplakia is a corrugated lateral-tongue lesion associated with immunosuppression.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine: geographic tongue in Dentistry. It may cause mild sensitivity but needs no treatment in most cases.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral medicine: geographic tongue?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.